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You Don’t Want Your Fruitcake? WWRA doesn’t want it, either

Courtesy photo.
Courtesy photo.

(Chelsea Update would like to thank Frank Hammer for the information in this column.)

This week is Christmas, a time of family gatherings, good food and presents. But it is also a time of boxes, wrapping paper and Styrofoam peanuts.

And, yes, fruit cakes, too.

The Western Washtenaw Recycling Authority (WWRA) is asking our area residents to be mindful of what can be recycled and what cannot.

Please do not dump shipping cartons in the recycling without checking contents.  Styrofoam is not recyclable and makes a mess at our facility.

Not all wrapping papers are recyclable, either. The shiny smooth plastic wrapping paper needs to be thrown in the trash and so must all the ribbons.

Tinsel off the tree and wreaths/roping are not recyclable. Broken ornaments and bad strings of lights must be thrown in the trash. The strings of lights create havoc with the sorting equipment and bring the facility to a halt while they are removed.

Yes, WWRA is asking that you take a little extra time and be mindful of what can truly be recycled and what cannot.  By paying attention to what you throw in recycling, you are making our jobs easier and, in reality, saving you money in the long run.

Below is a list that might assist in making those decisions.  Keep in mind that these materials are equivalent to dumping trash in the recycling bins.

DO NOT try to recycle:

  • Styrofoam of any kind, peanuts or sheets
  • Bubble wrap and the packing airbags currently being used
  • Shiny and smooth to the touch wrapping paper, which is really plastic
  • Ribbons of any kind
  • String or twine for tying packages
  • No broken ornaments of any kind
  • Strings of lights
  • Burned out Christmas lights
  • Wreaths and roping
  • Clothes of any kind
  • Shoes and boots
  • Household trash

Please throw the fruit cake in the garbage, too.

Thank you in advance for your willingness to separate trash from true recycling materials.

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